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Lewiston, Maine (U.S.)

Androscoggin County

image by Masao Okazaki, 17 January 2022
based on photo by Dave Martucci, 17 January 2022

Description of the flag
Seal
Previous flag

See also:

Description of the flag

Based on photos I took in the Lewiston, Maine City Hall, I am attaching a gif of that city’s flag. No legislation is found regarding it, but the actual flag displayed in City Hall has the city seal in color in the center and the words, in gold capital serif letters “LEWISTON” at the top hoist and “MAINE” in the lower fly.

The seal on the flag is different in some ways than other depictions, mostly in its coloration; it features a shield bearing a yellow and black railroad bridge with a gray locomotive about to run behind some red (presumably brick) buildings that are situated on the shore of the gray river (usually shown in blue in other renditions), just in front of a gray dam. Arched over all is a series of red rays. The background color of the shield on the flag is an off-white, although most other color versions show light blue.

Supporters, dexter: from top to bottom, an arm holding a hammer and a caduceus; sinister: a shovel, scythe and a rake, all in grey outlined in black.

Crest: a bee hive surrounded with twelve bees (six on each side), also depicted in gray outlined black.

A gray ribbon outlined black below the shield bears the motto “INDUSTRIA” in black letters.

The arms are placed on a golden-yellow roundel which is encircled with a gray band, outlined black, bearing the inscriptions in black sans-serif letters “LEWISTON, INCORPORATED 1795” at the top and “BECAME A CITY 1863” at the bottom. in between are two crosses formed of interlocking ovals, also in black.

The reverse bears the seal showing correctly on the city hall flag but the lettering on the blue field is reversed. Printed flags are available that have the reverse as a mirror image.
Dave Martucci, 17 January 2022

From photos of the flag on Facebook, I noticed that there's a version with small text...
https://www.facebook.com/Official-City-of-Lewiston-Maine-277377220981/photos/10159203467070982
https://www.facebook.com/Official-City-of-Lewiston-Maine-277377220981/photos/10158391394550982

...and a version with large text
https://www.facebook.com/Official-City-of-Lewiston-Maine-277377220981/photos/10158487149695982
https://www.facebook.com/Official-City-of-Lewiston-Maine-277377220981/photos/10160063297255982

Here's a page from the town which contains the only seal and the flag I could find.
http://www.lewistonmaine.gov/422/History-of-the-City-Seal
Masao Okazaki, 17 January 2022

From the photos, I’d say the version with the smaller text (and fringe) is the flag in the Council Chambers, which has the seal sewn correctly on each side. Likely this is a newer flag than the one I saw (but was not allowed to photograph) in those chambers in about 2013 as that flag’s lettering was about the same size as the printed flags for sale in the lobby.

As far as I can tell these are unofficial, so differences in lettering are not a surprise.
Dave Martucci, 19 January 2022

There's a different monochrome version of the seal with a blue background and longer rays of the sun: https://www.facebook.com/Official-City-of-Lewiston-Maine-277377220981/photos/10159880213710982
Masao Okazaki, 19 January 2022

According to The Lewiston Journal of June 15, 1982, the flag of Lewiston was designed by former city clerk Gerald P. Berube. The flag's specifications state that the outdoor flags are made of 100% nylon and measure 5 by 8 feet. Indoor ones measure 3 by 5 feet. The flag's design was adopted in the fall of 1981.
Daniel Rentería, 8 February 2024

Seal

image by Dave Martucci, 17 January 2022

Source: https://www.lewistonmaine.gov/
Paul Bassinson, 19 August 2019

Previous flag

The previous flag, blue, white, and black, combined the colors of Lewiston High School and St. Dominic's Regional High School. The flag also used the city seal. It was donated by the Pine Tree Warriors Club in the '60s, and hung in council chambers until the adoption of the current flag. It is probably preserved in the city archives today. It should be noted that this flag was not adopted as official.
Daniel Rentería, 8 February 2024